Revisiting the Digital Divide: Generational Differences in Technology Use in Everyday Life

Volkom, M. V., Stapley, J. C., & Amaturo, V. (2014). Revisiting the Digital Divide: Generational Differences in Technology Use in Everyday Life. North American Journal of Psychology, 557-574.

This study examines the sex and generational differences in the use of technology and the perceptions of technology of the 262 participants with an age range of 18 to 92.  

​“For example, fifty-five percent of adults access the Internet via their mobile phone and adults under 50 years old are just as likely to use mobile Internet access as teenagers (Madden, Lenhart, Duggan, Cortesi, & Gasser, 2013). Recent reports of the percentage of teens who own a tablet (25%) are almost the same for adults between 18-50 years old (23%). However, in general, older adults tend to express less interest in technology (e.g., computers), and use less variety of technology than younger adults, which affects how prevalent technology is for older users (Czaja et al., 2006). Younger users (18-28) of technology usually have more experience with various types of technology and functions of technology (Olson, O’Brien, Rogers, & Charness, 2011), such as experience with different computer parts and computer functions”

​Upon further reading this study appears to be somewhat flawed in that the vast majority of it only sites other papers. Also, the age ranges used are very broad. Thought the referenced studies in this document appear to be more insightful. Also, there is no research primarily undertaken by this study of the age divide in the use of technology instead it relies on secondary sources.